The way it was CG’s books that got me hooked on what I have dubbed “wtf is wrong with the woods” subgenre of horror. I mean seriously THIS WAS GREAT. Poor Evander, being used and abused and taken advantage of. And Laurie—forced to make himself small and hated, living in perpetual misery his entire life.

Sigh.

I do love myself a well written book and I’m so thankful that I was sent an eARC from the publisher. Unsolicited eARC emails are THE BOMB. thank you guys so much and thank you CG for another fabulous book.

This is an absolute masterpiece!

I absolutely loved this gothic horror..

After reading Don't let the Forest in, I was intrigued and Captived by this author's writing style.

This was in a way surprisingly cozy and cute, a friends to maybe lovers, ya gothic mystery with a ton of creepy vibes and a solid plot that weaves the story around the two boys and creepy estate like the carnivorous garden with a thirst for blood.

Definitely recommend giving this a go, especially with it's release close to the spooky season.
The perfect book for fall in my opinion.

This was one of my most wanted books to read this year I was so thrilled to get accepted for an ARC!!

This story was AMAZING, I will absolutely be reading Don’t Let The Forest In as well. I typically hate reading books where the MC is male, but I didn’t care at all here. Which speaks volumes for how well it’s written

CG Drews has done it again. The unearthly dread entwined with utter devotion in this Gothic horror crossbred with queer romance had me kicking my feet I loved it so much. Much like the garden getting a taste, I too couldn't let it go.

Such a pleasantly surprising tale. Drews yet again brings the Gothic, overgrown, out of control vibes that are just immaculate. The plot is a bit like Clue in reverse - everyone shows up after the body is found rather than before. But everyone remains a suspect and everyone is unreliable in their knowledge of what's going on. You can't help but love Evander and root for him (no pun intended), and the ending was extremely satisfying. I paused my reading in the middle to go online and pre-order a hardback copy because I will definitely want to revist this one. Couldn't ask for better.

CG Drew’s does it AGAIN. An AMAZING and reflective story that haunts me long after I turn the last page. This was even better than “Don’t Let The Forest In” In my opinion. CG Drew’s is one of the greatest authors of our time. I highly recommend this story.

I loved this book! It was a perfect for me type of book. Fungal, botanical, Victorian, secrets, all the good stuff.

Thank you Netgally & the publisher for this ARC!

🍃🪾🍂🌲

wow, this book was INCREDIBLE. hazelthorn handles the genres of mystery, horror, suspense and love and made it into this beautiful story. plus the gothic setting of the manor really drives this book all the way

evander is one of those main characters that you really connect with throughout the story. you are right there with him as he is figuring out all the mysteries of his life as well as his emotional turmoil as he is figuring things out. evander and laurie together really make the book for me. the tension between their relationship as well as the mystery behind it has you unknowingly rooting for them. and once they get through all that blurriness, they make for such an amazing couple that drives this story home. they lean on one another, comfort, communicate, support and one love another that it makes for such a beautiful relationship.

the plot twists were twisting folks! these plot twists had me sitting up, gasping, yelling “WHAT?”, they are sooo good.

this book will continuously be on my mind for days i just know it

If you haven’t read a book by CG Drews yet, this is your sign to do it so we can all be haunted together. They’re easily becoming one of my favorite authors.

Evander is too much - too sick, too weak… too wrong. He’s haunted by memories of Laurie. He’s haunted by Hazelthorn… living, breathing… the garden wants in. It wants HIM.

When the Lennox-Hall patriarch dies, it all becomes his: the house, the fortune, the garden… or does he belong to it now?

Hazelthorn is visceral, gruesome, harrowing. CG Drew’s boldly addresses the impact abuse has on survivors - the rage, the shame, the vulnerability and helplessness. The ending is a powerful statement on being loved despite everything that makes us feel monstrous.

(I CRIED ok.)

oh Hazelthorn.. where do i even BEGIN?!?

Don’t Let the Forest In was one of my favorite reads from last year so i was absolutely thrilled to start this and also terrified for it to end.

I have tried writing a more “analytic” review about all of the parts of this book several times but I can’t explain everything this book made me feel. what i do know is that this book was a religious experience for me. the writing was absolutely beautiful. but laurie and evander?? BEAUTIFUL. Evander is unreliable and angry, Laurie is avoidant and secretive, we can’t decide if we like each other and we also have a lot of trauma and rage. but my god do they make it WORK.

this book will forever haunt me in the best of ways: the atmosphere, the horror, the romance, the plants, the rot. it was grotesque and made my chest ache and i literally can not wait to hold a physical copy in my hand.

the biggest of thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends, CG Drew and NetGalley for the ARC of this masterpiece in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and CG Drews for the ARC.

Please judge this book by its cover. If the darkly enchanting artwork of <i>Hazelthorn</i> catches your eye, you’re likely the perfect reader for this Gothic-horror, murder mystery infused with botanical dread and a dash of queer romance.

I didn’t realize until after requesting this ARC that CG Drews also authored <i>Don’t Let the Forest In</i>, which I’ve heard great things about and now plan to read even sooner based on how much I enjoyed <i>Hazelthorn</i>. I went into this book mostly blind, and I’m glad I did. The atmosphere unraveled beautifully.

The prose is lush and vividly descriptive, weaving a sensory experience that lingers. As a plant lover, I was especially drawn to the eerie beauty of its setting. I hadn’t encountered the "botanical horror" sub-genre by name before, but I’m fully on board now. The contrast between lush, living growth and raw, visceral gore created a truly unique reading experience.

The novel opens with a gripping hook (an unsolved murder) but the pacing in the middle does slow and meander a bit before tightening again in the final act. Once it hits its stride, though, the story is sharp, strange, and emotionally layered. The ending packs a punch, leaving room for thoughtful interpretation around themes of trauma, justice, and neurodivergence.

I highly recommend reading the Author’s Note, where Drews shares their experience with a later-in-life autism diagnosis. It adds meaningful context to the novel’s exploration of otherness, self-perception, and the ache of being misunderstood.

This is going to be a perfect October read for my fellow weirdos when it releases.

Rating: 4.5/5

This book was fantastic. The prose is hauntingly beautiful and the characters are so well written I could feel myself aching with Evander. I read CG Drews’ book Don’t Let the Forest In and in my review said I wanted that story tattooed on my bones, this one can go directly on my heart. An absolutely emotional masterpiece.

I was so thrilled to be able to read this ARC and CG Drews did not disappoint. Hazelthorn is beautifully dark and suspenseful. I was instantly enamored with Evander and on the edge of my seat wanting to learn more about him. The autistic representation is very well written.
I can’t wait until I have the physical book in my hands!

Being able to get an Arc of this book actually made my year... and honestly I'm not even surprised by how incredible this book is. CG Drews writes so beautifully and I'm obsessed with all the botanical metaphors and descriptions. The characters were SO well written and the autistic representation just loved it so much. The plot twists were amazing and I kept thinking I had solved them and then quickly found out I was completely off track.I cried…. I laughed... I want to read it all again.

I extend my gratitude to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing the advance reader copy of this book!

This book possesses a haunting beauty and features truly remarkable elements. However, it ultimately did not resonate with me. I took a personal chance on this read, and I believe that is reflected in my rating.

The writing was exquisite, and the narrative was crafted with care. However, I found myself wishing for a deeper exploration of the characters' backgrounds and the story's context BUT I believe this book is for you if you appreciate a Gothic-queer romance, this book is certainly a worthwhile selection—beautiful yet also scary... in the best way.

The elements woven throughout the narrative and the exploration of various topics were handled with great care in my opinion.

Hazelthorn took my breath away from the first page. Evander is an amazing character who really sucks you in his feelings. Like him, you want to discover the secrets and have mixed feelings about Laurie. I loved every minute I spent reading this book.

Hauntingly beautiful and poetic, Hazelthorn left me wanting... No... Yearning for more of this mysterious story. I just loved how poetic the writing is and the pacing and plot pointing is done so smoothly,
From the very first pages I was pulled into this hauntingly dark tale that left me absolutely reeling with the surprise twists I was not expecting or prepared for! I was left with a feeling of unease and honestly felt emotionally weakened after reading Hazelthorn.
Which is EXACTLY what I want from Gothic horror.

The way Drews displays the main character, Evander's autistic nature was so raw and vulnerable I couldn't help loving him and Laurie's character was just as loveable, if not a bit irritating at times but it worked perfectly with the story and they both developed nicely as the story progressed. This is a YA novel, so while the romance is a pivotal plot point of the book it doesn't not overpower the story, but rather it fuels it and encourages the growth of the characters.

This was a true "Who done it." Murder mystery with each character absolutely standing out with possible motive. I had a lot of fun trying to decide who was the culprit while also following along as Evander discovered the truth about himself and the murder.

I ripped apart this book. 100% ate up every bit of it and couldn't put it down.

Evander's external and internal struggles are just a piece of what made this book so perfect. This book wraps a wine around your limbs and holds you down to suck in every piece of it.

It's a botanical delight, heavy on the body horror. C.G Drews prose is my favorite part of this however. Their ability to just describe an emotion down to your bones, feeding it into you on every page just sits with you. So many lines in this book just caused me to sit and stare for a few moment's, re-reading them each a few times just to give them the peace I thought they deserved.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year so far and thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ability to read this arc!

From the first page I am hooked yearning to understand our MC Evander more. I felt like I was losing my mind alongside him in this gothic horror. The imagery and eerie atmosphere is impeccable as Drew as such a way of writing. The key is description. Drew makes sure you see, feel, and taste what Evander is going through. You will gag. You will smile. You will also fear for Evander. Many moments had made me pause to process what I just read.

My favorite character being Laurie especially in the end. I love a hard to read character. A tempestuous amount of emotions figuring out his relationship Evander. I loved it! This duo will forever stay with me.

This being my first book read by C.G. Drews, I am utterly impressed wanting more. A true reading that gives the feel of a gothic horror.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this arc!

4.5 stars rounded UP!

Hazelthorn is a haunting, atmospheric, and genre-defying tale; lush with botanical horror and thick with deception.

Told through the deeply unreliable lens of Evander, we follow his unsettling quest to uncover the death of his billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall. For seven years, Evander has been confined to a single room in the sprawling Hazelthorn estate, plagued by strange medical episodes ever since a mysterious incident in the garden during his childhood. Now, the garden is taking over the house and Evander isn’t sure if he wants to escape, or let himself be consumed along with it.

What follows is a fever dream of vines, secrets, and unraveling identity. As the estate decays around him, Evander peels back the rot not just in Hazelthorn, but within himself.

At its core, Hazelthorn is a masterful exploration of self-hatred, repression, and the painful longing to be loved, no matter the cost. Through Evander, C.G. Drews crafts a deeply introspective narrative about performing for survival, about shrinking yourself to make others comfortable, and the quiet violence of never being seen. The representation of autism, while I can’t speak to its accuracy personally, felt meaningful and essential to Evander’s story.

And when that dam of years-long silence and rage finally bursts? I felt it in my bones.

The prose is stunning; lyrical without losing bite, and the setting is alive in every sense. Hazelthorn itself feels sentient, every vine and creeping root pulsing with menace. The horror is slow-burning, found in atmosphere, tension, and emotional dread rather than outright gore (though there’s just enough to satisfy). The mansion is both prison and mystery, familiar yet unknowable, and Drews uses that disorientation to brilliant effect.

I genuinely loved this even more than Don’t Let the Forest In. Fans of gothic horror, psychological character studies, and lushly written dread—you need this book!

C.G. Drews proves once again that their voice is one-of-a-kind, and I sincerely hope it never goes quiet.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.